Nintendo pledges long-term support for GameCube

Comments made in a Japanese newspaper by Nintendo president Satoru Iwata indicate that the company is planning to continue to sell the GameCube hardware well into the lifespan of its next-generation console, codenamed "Revolution."

Iwata told Yomiuri Shimbun that Nintendo may well sell the "Revolution" device alongside the GameCube hardware for quite some time - presumably hoping to follow in the footsteps of Sony, which continued to sell large volumes of the PSone long after the launch of the PS2.

However, it's not clear whether Iwata's comments represent a commitment from the company to continue developing new software for the GameCube into the next console cycle, or simply an intention to continue supplying the channel with new units for as long as they are required.

The "Revolution" system, which is Nintendo's next home console, will be unveiled at E3 next May in Los Angeles, and is expected to launch in 2006 - although the E3 unveiling could equally indicate a late 2005 launch in Japan.

Nintendo has pledged that "Revolution" will mark a genuine departure from traditional home consoles, with a focus not only on increased processing and graphical prowess but on new ways of interacting with the system and new forms of gameplay.